04/12/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

                 HB 112-PROFESSION OF PHARMACY                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
5:00:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the  final order of business would be                                                               
HB 112,  "An Act relating to  the Board of Pharmacy;  relating to                                                               
the  practice of  pharmacy; relating  to pharmacies;  relating to                                                               
prescription  drug manufacturers;  relating to  prescriptions for                                                               
epinephrine; relating  to the administration of  epinephrine; and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:00:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 112.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
5:01:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DESIREE  MOLINA,  representing  self, gave  public  testimony  in                                                               
support of  HB 112.   She  stated that HB  112 would  improve the                                                               
pharmacist  licensing process  and improve  safety for  patients.                                                               
She  explained   that  the   bill  would   reduce  administrative                                                               
workloads  and require  national  criminal  background checks  as                                                               
part  of  the pharmacist  licensing  process.   She  stated  that                                                               
epinephrine access would be improved for patients who need it.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:03:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JEFFREY DEMAIN,  MD, President, Asthma and  Allergy Foundation of                                                               
Alaska, gave  public testimony in support  of HB 112.   He stated                                                               
that he  has been a  practicing allergist  in Alaska for  over 30                                                               
years.   He said  that 1  in 12 children  have food  allergies in                                                               
Alaska,  and   5  percent  of  the   population  will  experience                                                               
anaphylaxis  during   their  life.     Many   people,  especially                                                               
children, who  experience anaphylaxis have no  prior knowledge of                                                               
their  allergy.   He  stated  that the  longer  it  takes to  use                                                               
epinephrine, the  less likely it  will be effective.   The Asthma                                                               
and Allergy Foundation of Alaska  provides education programs for                                                               
anaphylaxis and  epinephrine, and it recommends  that epinephrine                                                               
be distributed to those who finish the course.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:06:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BARRY CHRISTENSEN,  representing self, provided  public testimony                                                               
in support of  HB 112.  He informed the  committee that the Board                                                               
of Pharmacy  has been  working on legislation  on this  topic for                                                               
several years.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:07:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRANDY  SEIGNEMARTIN,   Executive  Director,   Alaska  Pharmacist                                                               
Association, gave  public testimony  in support of  HB 112.   She                                                               
stated that  the Alaska Pharmacist Association  supports the work                                                               
that the Board of Pharmacy has done on HB 112.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:08:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SUMNER,  after ascertaining  there  was  no one  else  who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 112.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
5:08:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that HB 112 was held over.